Cheerleader, 12, dies after parents tried to treat ‘life-threatening’ injuries with smoothies, police say
Two people have been arrested following the death of a 12-year-old girl whose parents had 'failed to seek medical assistance for', police have said.
Cheerleader and Jourdanton Junior High School student Miranda Sipps passed away on Monday evening (12 August) after her mother called for help as her daughter went into respiratory distress.
A press release from the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office states: "Sheriff's 9-1-1 dispatchers received a call requesting medical assistance from a Christine woman last night after 8:00 p.m.
"Dispatchers instructed the mother to stop her vehicle at Hwy 16 South and FM 140 where EMS met her. The victim who was alive but unconscious, was transported to Methodist Hospital."
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Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Miranda was pronounced dead at 9:55pm local time.
An investigation into the girl's death was immediately launched by local authorities.
And their findings quickly led to Miranda's mother, Denise Balbaneda, and stepfather, Gerald Gonzalez, being arrested for 'failing to seek medical help' sooner for the girl during days where she was 'mentally and physically incapacitated and non-responsive'.
Sheriff David Soward said during a press conference the pair didn't want to call the emergency services sooner as they didn't want to draw attention to Miranda's condition.
Denise and Gerald have been accused of attempting to take matters into their own hands as they fed her with smoothies and vitamins.
David Soward claimed they did this despite Miranda's unresponsive state.
"Basically they thought they could nurse her back to health and we do not think they wanted the attention that this would draw if the little girl was injured," the sheriff alleged.
"Which is strangely ironic, but that was their line of thinking."
During the four-day period prior to the hospital admission, Denise and Gerald may have tried to give the girl oxygen, Soward states.
The cheerleader could only 'flutter her eyes and move her hands a little bit over a four-day period', according to the sheriff.
The police head-honcho went on to claim while the call for help was made from the child's home, Denise left with the child before police arrived as they didn't want them to see inside their home.
No information has been provided on the extent of the 'life threatening' injuries Miranda sustained.
Both the mother and step-father have been arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission.
Such first-degree felony charges can lead to an individual spending the rest of their life in prison.
The police investigation remains ongoing and the final autopsy report is pending.
Callum Jones